Constant Excuses From Letting Agent

boothros

In March last year after being forced to flee an abusive relationship, I rented a single story garage for six months in which to stow my belongings. I paid approximately £300 on the date of renting which included a month’s rent, a returnable security deposit and the agent’s fee.
By July, I no longer needed the garage and telephoned to enquire what sort of penalty I might have to pay in order to hand the keys back two months early. The agent told me that there was no problem at all in handing back the keys immediately as she had a queue of people on the waiting list for the garages (of which there were fifteen all owned by the same landlord).
I swept out the garage and left in place a new padlock I had provided at my own expense as one of the older ones had broken, returned the keys and received a note to say that I was no longer contractually obliged to the property from that date forward. The agent said I would get the return of my deposit, into my account within two weeks.
In December, I suddenly remembered the deposit and found out that it hadn’t been paid. I phoned the high street agents who said they no longer dealt with deposits and gave me a number to some sort of centralised office. The lady there was helpful, firstly informing me that according to their records, I had now reneged on four months of rent (presumably being from the date I handed back the keys to the date in December when I phoned). I explained what I had done in July and she told me I needed to email statements of all the rents paid, a copy of the signing off receipt and my banking details. I did this just after Christmas and still hadn’t heard anything by February. I phoned again, eventually getting through to the same lady who said that it took time to liaise with landlords and to telephone in a further fortnight and every fortnight thereafter until the matter was resolved.
A few days ago, I got a text message (which I nearly missed as I do all my correspondence through email), which asked if I was ‘happy to give the landlord my deposit to cover the rent arrears I owe’. The mobile phone which sent the text is never answered and the lady I spoke to now never seems to be available. I appreciate that there may have been a few days between me handing back the keys and the date of the direct debit going out (meaning I might owe for about a week or so’s rent) and I appreciate that that my new agreement with the agent who took the keys back was only verbal even though I’ve still got the receipt. However, there always seems to be a new excuse as to why I can’t have my deposit and at no time between July and August was I informed that I owed any rent.
I can’t help but feel that I am being complete ripped off by this national chain and desperately need as much of the deposit back as I can get. What should I be doing next please?

Annie35

Do you have a headed letter or email to say your contract ended July?

Do you have the landlords address?

If so letter before action asking for deposit

boothros

Sorry, I'm too new to be able to post an image, Annie but I have a a letterheaded compliments slip from the agent, (certainly no confirmation email). I have no idea who or where the landlord is, knowing him only as 'Mr Smith'.